In the dead of winter, it sure is nice to have something to look forward to. Especially when that something is colorful and alive, like growing plants. The arrival of seed catalogs tells us it is time to prepare for the growing season.

In a very short time it will be time to start your own transplants from seed. Just two months away we'll be seeding lawns and doing some renovation. And right now, we should be studying those seed catalogs and getting things bought or ordered. The trick is to have everything in hand so you can start about eight weeks in advance of when you want to set them out. It is also time to do pruning on most deciduous trees and shrubs. Of course you'll want to pick a warm, sunny day for those chores! Try to have that pruning done by early March.

More entries will follow in a few weeks with specifics on these different chores, but it is nice to at least think of colorful and alive things instead of the snow and cold.